Generous doses of newsreel footage highlight this British wartime drama. Tom (Brian Stirner) is a typical 18-year-old Briton who goes into military service early in 1944. The film follows the protagonist through the rigors of training and the shock of his first battle. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Though made 31 years after D-Day, the dramatic scenes have the period look of a '40s movie, which links them perfectly with the stunning archival footage.
It's still a feat of period filmmaking. More than that, Overlord's revivification of a wasteland Europe offers up a powerful whip lesson for the postwar complacent.
The overriding themes of the film are never broadly stated but are subtly revealed, and the horror and reality of war are quietly played out on both the human and panoramic levels with disturbing effect.
WWII through the eyes of an average, somewhat inept British foot soldier. Director Stuart Cooper effectively interlaces real war footage with scenes of the infantryman's more mundane daily routines. We get to know the character by vicariously sharing his hardship and even witnessing his frequent daydreams. Though
released in 1975, this has an even older feel to it. A nice combination of post-war sensibility anchored deep in 1944's harsh reality. Definitely a film that warrants more discussion and deserves much more recognition.
February 4, 2009
Randy Tippy
Super Reviewer
Clever interweaving of fictional story and archival footage which works better as a documentary than a drama.
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